Gaseous electric discharge device



Oct. 6, 1936. K. wlEGAND GASEOUS ELECTRIC'DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed July 16, 1935 N NN - INVENTOR, TW 7V ATTORNEY Patented oct. e, 1936 STATE@ ear ice ration ci New York Application duly lid, i935, Serial No. 3Lllll En Germany duly 3i, 1934i ll Claim.,

The present invention relates to gaseous elec Atric discharge devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices the gaseous atmosphere oi which consists of or comprises a metal vapor and the container of which is at an elevated temperature during the operation of the device.

it is advantageous to provide a source of heat for the container oi such devices and a ballast resistance connected in series with said lamp and mounted on the external surface of said container is useful for this purpose. The object of the present invention is to provide a gaseouselectric discharge device having a resistance mounted on the container thereof which device is of simple, compact structure and is inexpensive to manufacture. Another object of the invention is to provide a gaseous electric discharge device of the above type which is safely handled particularly in mounting the lamp. Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device and to its use and operation will he apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description.

In accordance with these objects the invention comprises an elongated, tubular container having a longitudinal passage in and extending along the wall thereof and divided from the passage in said lamp in which the gaseous electric discharge taires place. A resistance, such as a helically coiled filament, is mounted in said passage and is connected in series with the discharge in `the device. The resistance heats the wall of the container to improve the eiiciency of the device.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification an embodiment of the invention is shown, in which Fig. l is a iront elevational view of a gaseous electric discharge lamp device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View along the line 2 2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a similar view with various parts of the lamp removed, and

Fig. d is an end sectional view of another form of container useful in the device illustrated in Fig. l.

Like numbers denote like parts in all the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing the gaseous electric discharge device comprises an elongated tubular container l having a gaseous filling therein, such as argon, neon or krypton, or a mixture thereof, and a quantity 2 of vaporizable material, such as mercury, sodium, cadmium, magnesium, or zinc, the vapor of which is light emitting during the operation of the dem vice. Stems .i and i are fused into the ends of said container Il and have supports 5 and 5 and t and t sealed into the pinch parts ii and t' thereof respectively. Tubular sheet metal electrodes l and t are attached to said .wires d and 5', t and t respectively. Said wires d and t are current leads for said electrodes 'l and it respectively. Said container i has bases or caps it and i@ of insulating material, such as porcelain ias tened to the ends thereof. A tube 9 of appreciably smaller diameter than that oi said container l is fused to said container i and extends along the length thereof. When desired, said container l and said tube t are formed in one operation. rlwo helically coiled resistance wires l@ and il are mounted in the passage in said tube One end of said resistance iii is connected to current lead ii of said electrode 'l and the other end thereof is brought out of the tube ii through the holes it (Figs. 2 and 3) adjacent the center of said tube s and is fastened to the metal cap il cemented on the container l. Similarly one end of the resistance it is connected to the lead l of the electrode d .and the other end thereof is fastened to the cap l5 likewise fastened to the container l. Current supply leads for the lamp are clamped to the caps iii and l5 by the nuts it and lll when mounting the lamp and the bases it and l t are inserted in sockets in the nnture in which the lamp is mounted.

The container l illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing has a hollow, cylindrical, gutter-litre depression 2d extending along the length thereof which opens outwardly. Resistances i@ and it are mounted in the depression 2@ and the slit in said depression is closed by a body o/r heat resisting, electrically insulating material, such as asbestos cement to prevent any accidental contact with the resistances l@ and ii., details of the lamp having this form oi ccntainer are the same as those or" the lamp shown in Fig. l.

rlhe resistances i@ and il serve as ballast for the gaseous 'electric discharge between said electrodes l and d and during the operation of the lamp the heat emitted by said resistances lli and il is utilized to heat the walls of container i to a higher temperature than would be the case if said resistances were mounted remote from said container l. The vapor pressure in the lamp and the eiciency thereof are thus higher and the lamp can be successfully started and operated in lower ambient temperatures.

The other a What I claim as new and desire to secure by along the length thereof and a ballast resistance Letters Patent oi the United States, is: mounted in said passage, one end of said resist- A gaseous electric discharge device comprising ance being connected to one of said electrodes an elongated tubular container, electrodes sealed and the other endthereot being connected to a. 5 therein a gaseous atmosphere therein, the wali contact fastened adjacent the mid-Dart 0f Said 5 of said container having a passage therein closed container. oft from the discharge chamber and extending KURT WIEGAND. 

